


Marry Me

by captainofelos



Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alcohol, Angst, F/M, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Kinda cheating, Songfic, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:01:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26979271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainofelos/pseuds/captainofelos
Summary: It's Ricky Bowen's wedding day and Gina wishes she was the girl he was about to marry. Based off of Thomas Rhett's Marry Me.
Relationships: Ricky Bowen/Gina Porter, Ricky Bowen/Nini Salazar-Roberts
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	Marry Me

Gina Porter held the wedding invitation in her hand, with a glass of wine in the other. She looked down at it and then into the mirror and at her reflection. She was wearing a black dress. She let out a humourless laugh at the irony. If she was to ask anyone where she was going they would all say a funeral and not a wedding. She was dressed to reflect her true feelings: she was in mourning.

“ _ You are cordially invited to the wedding of: _

_ Nina Grace Salazar-Roberts _

_ And _

_ Richard Michael Bowen _ ”

Each time Gina would read the invitation her heart would break, and no matter how many more times she read it, it would still hurt. Richard Michael Bowen and Genevive Catherine Porter is what it was supposed to say. She balled up the invitation and threw it away. She readjusted her dress and then took a deep breath before going downstairs and into her kitchen to grab the opened bottle of wine and poured it into a flask. She neatly put the flask in her clutch. She knew it was the only way to survive this wedding.

_ She wants to get married, she wants it perfect _

_ She wants her grandaddy preaching the service _

_ Yeah, she wants magnolias out in the country _

_ Not too many people, save their daddy some money _

Gina drove to the wedding venue, Salt Lake City Yacht Club. The venue was perfect for Ricky and it helped that Nini’s moms were members of the club for years. They had people running all over the venue, making sure everything was perfect before the wedding started. Gina took a deep breath and stepped out of her car and made her way into the club.

“Gina! I’m so glad you made it!” Mike Bowen exclaimed as he wrapped Gina in a hug.

She returned the hug with a fake smile. “I’m glad to be here.”

“Ricky is going to be so happy! You should go see him before the ceremony. He is so nervous!”

“I bet, Mr. Bowen.” Gina politely responded.

“I’m sorry Gina, but Lynne apparently needs my help with something.” Mike smiled at her before turning around and walking away.

Sure, Gina should go see Ricky for the last time. But she won’t. She doesn’t want to ruin this for him. This is the happiest day of his life. She should be happy for him. She walked outside and looked at the wedding venue. There were white chairs spaced out and in line with the aisle. There was a gazebo at the end that was covered with pink roses. As well as white curtains wrapped around the posts. 

_ Ooh, she got it all planned out. _

_ Yeah, I can see it all right now. _

Gina remembers when Ricky and Nini were planning their wedding. She remembers wanting to desperately tell him her true feelings, but each time she held her tongue. He apologized for not putting her in the wedding party, saying it was because Nini and her weren’t close. He told her that Nini was being ridiculous, but deep down Gina knew that Nini was right. She flashed him a small smile and told him, she was okay with not being included. She knew she wouldn’t be able to handle standing up there.

“Gi!” Carlos greeted as he walked beside Gina, resting his hand on Gina’s arm.

“Hi Los,” Gina replied before giving her childhood friend a hug.

“Unusual dress colour,” Carlos states as his eyes fill with concern.

Gina didn’t respond. She just looked at her friend with sad eyes.

“Gi, I’m so sorry. Trust me, I wish it was you up there instead of Nini.”

“Me too.” Gina muttered as she walked over to the last room of seats and sat down. She opened up her clutch and pulled out her flask and took a sip of wine.

_ I’ll wear my black suit, black tie, hide out in the back _

_ I’ll do a strong shot of whiskey, straight out the flask _

_ I’ll try to make it through without crying so nobody sees _

_ Yeah, she wanna get married _

_ But she don’t wanna marry me _

_ I remember the night when I almost kissed her _

_ Yeah, I kinda freaked out, we’d been friends for forever _

_ And I always wondered if she felt the same way _

_ When I got the invite, I knew it was too late. _

Gina remembers the night she almost kissed Ricky. She remembers it like it happened yesterday. She had just come back from starring in a Broadway play in New York and Ricky had returned from a music festival in California, when she came back to Salt Lake it was like her and Ricky were attached at the hip. They went out to dinner and drank some wine. Gina was laughing so hard as he drove them to the skate park.

“Skateboard with me?” Gina’s eyebrows raised as she held a board she found lying on the ground.

“Only because you asked,” Ricky replied with a smile as she passed him the board and he began to skate.

They decided to have a trick contest to see who can do the better tricks. She was winning because he was purposely falling off the board. He wasn’t the best at skateboarding but he was still pretty good in reality. Which is something that made her love Ricky even more than she already did. She loved practically everything about him.

“You jerk, you’re letting me win!” She shoved him and laughed.

“But if I beat you, then I will still be a jerk, right?” Ricky asked jokingly.

“When are you not a jerk, you were the biggest one in high school.” Gina told him.

“Yeah, you aren’t the first girl to tell me that,” Ricky chuckles sadly.

“I would always defend you when they said that. I said they just didn’t know the real you.” Gina said quietly.

Ricky’s eyes softened. “I did the same with you.”

Thunder broke the silence that fell over the two of them, followed by a flash of lightning. A storm was coming.

“We should probably go before we get soaked,” Gina said.

“Yeah,” Ricky said as he laid the skateboard on the ground before walking to his car. The two of them slid into the car and drove in a comfortable silence to Gina’s house, rain pouring on the windows.

When they reached Gina’s house, he parked the car and Gina groaned at how hard the rain was pouring.

“Afraid to get wet? Will you melt?” Ricky joked.

“Shut up, jerk!” Gina punched him in the arm and laughed, “But yes! I don’t feel like getting completely drenched!”

A comfortable silence fell over the two of them as Gina contemplated leaving or staying for a few minutes. 

“Are you happy?” She asked him. Realizing what she just asked, she quickly added, “In California?”

Ricky shrugged. “Salt Lake is and will always be my home and where I feel the most like me. This is who I am.”

“Are you going to stay?”

Ricky shrugged. “I don’t know, Nini’s movie career is in California.”

Gina’s stomach dropped as he mentioned her name. Nini. Ricky’s girlfriend.

“Ricky, if she loves you as much as she did in high school, she would follow you wherever you move. Believe me.”

Ricky looked over at her and flashed his signature smile that showed off his dimples and rested his head against his seat. “This is why I love you. You always give the best advice and always make me feel better.”

Why I love you. He said it. But Gina had no idea what he meant by it.

“You know I love you, Ricky Bowen,” Gina returned his smile and slowly leaned closer to him.

“You do?” Ricky, whether he knew what he was doing or not was leaning towards Gina also. The rain was slowly stopping and it was quiet outside the car.

Gina was leaning towards him about to kiss him, her face so close to his she could smell his minty breath. He wasn’t moving away. She was going to kiss him and he wasn’t turning away. His eyes closed, Ricky wanted her to kiss him. Her heart was beating so loud. Just as she was about to kiss her lips on his, a loud clap of thunder rang out that shook the car and made the two of them jump apart.

“JESUS!” Ricky yelled, and then laughed, hand going to his mouth to cover his laughter as it got louder.

“Well that was some thunder clap, huh?” Ricky laughed and rubbed his hands on his steering wheel. She knew he was trying to not think about what just happened.

“I guess I should head inside. Are we still on for dinner tomorrow?” Gina asked.

“It’s a date.” Ricky responded with a slight smile.

The next day at dinner the two of them never mentioned what happened the previous night and it was never brought up after that.

_ I remember the night when I almost kissed her _

_ Yeah, I kinda freaked out, we'd been friends for forever _

_ And I always wondered if she felt the same way _

_ When I got the invite, I knew it was too late _

_ And I know her daddy's been dreading this day _

_ Oh, but he don't know he ain't the only one giving her away _

The guests began to fill the seats. Lynne, Michael, E.J., and Red walked by and gave Gina an apologetic look. Apparently everyone knew about her feelings for Ricky. Ricky appeared at the altar, taking his place at the foot of the aisle. He stood there, happy and nervous. Gina wanted to cry.

She could only imagine the dress Nini was wearing. She regretted not coming earlier to the wedding. Maybe if she came earlier, she would’ve been able to stop the wedding. Maybe she wouldn’t have lost Ricky. He was hers and she was his. That was supposed to be the way. Gina stood up, ready to leave, but the music started to play. Gina slowly sat down. She was too late.

Kourtney walked the aisle first. Then Ashlyn. Then Nini's best friend from college, Chloe. Everyone stood up, indicating that Nini’s about to walk down the aisle. Nini came around the aisle, her mother’s standing on either side of her holding their arms for her to take. Nini wrapped her arms around her mothers’ and she started to walk down the aisle. Gina had never seen her mothers’ look so happy. Nini looked gorgeous, like Gina knew she would. As Nini walked down the aisle, Gina turned and looked at Ricky who briefly looked at her. He gave her one of the biggest smiles she had ever seen from him as his face lit up. She smiled back, a fake one. Ricky seemed to realize that and until Nini walked past her, he focused on Gina. But the second Nini passed, Ricky focused on his bride.

Gina watched as Nini’s moms kissed her cheeks before sitting down and she walked in front of Ricky. Gina couldn’t watch anymore. She thought she was strong enough to handle this, but she clearly wasn’t. She stood up and walked down the aisle. She was given rude stares from guests, but that didn’t stop her. What she didn’t know was that Ricky was watching her leave with sadness in his eyes. No, she missed that. She was more focused on leaving and not witnessing her heartbreaking as the boy she loved was about to marry someone else.

_ I'll wear my black suit, black tie, hide out in the back _

_ I'll do a strong shot of whiskey straight out the flask _

_ I'll try to make it through without crying so nobody sees _

_ Yeah, she wanna get married _

_ But she don't wanna marry me _

Ricky Bowen smoothed out his tuxedo as he looked in the mirror. Kourtney made his suit, an original Kourtney Greene design. He loved it so much. It made him feel like he was a prince, but he knew that this prince wasn’t with his princess today. Ricky had fallen in love with Gina when they were in high school, sitting in her driveway after a disastrous homecoming dance. They were sitting in Big Red’s orange car just talking about how well they understood each other. He loved that she understood him in a way that no one else, not even Nini could. He smiled at the memory.

Ricky sighed as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. Today is supposed to be the greatest day of his life. Nini and him spent months planning the wedding, but he realized that the planning was a lot more fun than the wedding itself. Today is the day that he was promising to spend forever with someone that he knew didn’t belong to his heart.

Ricky felt guilty for not loving Nini the same way she loved him. He always knew deep down that he wasn’t right for her. They weren’t similar at all. He wanted a small wedding, she wanted a giant wedding. She wanted the wedding to be in a big city, he wanted it in a small town. She didn’t understand Ricky the way Gina did. But Gina never really wanted him, so he moved on because he thought he deserved love. He wished that he grabbed onto the chance when he still had it.

Ricky also remembers the night they almost kissed. He remembered every little detail perfectly. He was in California, working with a music producer, his music had been thriving but he missed Salt Lake City. So he called Gina because he knew she just wrapped a Broadway play and would be back to relax for a few days, and told her he would be visiting for the weekend and asked her to meet at their favourite diner. To his surprise, she met with him at the airport. Gina called Mike beforehand and let him know that she would be picking up Ricky as a surprise. Ricky was so excited to see her that he dropped his bags and practically ran towards her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and her hands went around his neck and into his curls. She took him to dinner and they drank some wine before heading to the skatepark, where their story had begun all those years back in high school.

“Skateboard with me?” Gina’s eyebrows raised as she held a board she found lying on the ground.

“Only because you asked,” Ricky replied with a smile as she passed him the board and he began to skate.

They decided to have a trick contest to see who can do the better tricks. She was winning but he did that on purpose. He always did. He always said she didn’t practice enough to beat him for real. She would always roll her eyes when he said that and then pretend to ignore him. He always loved letting her win. He loved her. He really loved Gina Porter.

“You jerk, you’re letting me win!” She shoved him and laughed.

“But if I beat you, then I will still be a jerk, right?” Ricky asked jokingly.

“When are you not a jerk, you were the biggest one in high school.” Gina told him.

“Yeah, you aren’t the first girl to tell me that,” Ricky chuckles sadly.

“I would always defend you when they said that. I said they just didn’t know the real you.” Gina said quietly. He locked eyes with her as she said that. It was like she wanted him to know how he felt, but he didn’t understand. Ricky’s heart broke at her confession. He always knew the real Gina. Not the tough, mean girl Gina Porter that everyone knew because of her constant moving growing up, but the real soft, sweet Gina Porter that broke down her walls for him.

Ricky’s eyes softened. “I did the same with you.”

Thunder broke the silence that fell over the two of them, followed by a flash of lightning. A storm was coming.

“We should probably go before we get soaked,” Gina said.

“Yeah,” Ricky said as he laid the skateboard on the ground before walking to his car. The two of them slid into the car and drove in a comfortable silence to Gina’s house, rain pouring on the windows.

When they reached Gina’s house, he parked the car and Gina groaned at how hard the rain was pouring.

“Afraid to get wet? Will you melt?” Ricky joked.

“Shut up, jerk!” Gina punched him in the arm and laughed, “But yes! I don’t feel like getting completely drenched!”

A comfortable silence fell over the two of them as Gina contemplated leaving or staying for a few minutes. 

“Are you happy?” She asked him. Realizing what she just asked, she quickly added, “In California?”

For the second time that night, Ricky’s heart broke. Ricky shrugged. “Salt Lake is and will always be my home and where I feel the most like me. This is who I am.” Ricky never wanted to leave Salt Lake City. He wanted to own his own music production studio right here in Salt Lake and run it here. He wanted to get married and live here in Salt Lake.

“Are you going to stay?”

Again, Ricky shrugged. “I don’t know, Nini’s movie career is in California.”

Gina’s stomach dropped as he mentioned her name. Nini. Ricky’s girlfriend.

“Ricky, if she loves you as much as she did in high school, she would follow you wherever you move. Believe me.” Ricky hated bringing up Nini with Gina, he never really understood why. It wasn’t like Gina hated Nini and she always listened to their relationship drama and gave him helpful advice. But it just never felt right for him.

Ricky looked over at her and flashed his signature smile that showed off his dimples and rested his head against his seat. “This is why I love you. You always give the best advice and always make me feel better.” ‘Porter take the hint. I’m practically confessing my love for you right now.’ Ricky thought.

“You know I love you, Ricky Bowen,” Gina returned his smile and slowly leaned closer to him.

“You do?” Ricky asked, voice hushed, he realized that she was leaning closer and closer, like she did back in 2019 after their homecoming fiasco. Was Gina going to kiss him again, but this time on the lips instead of his cheek. Did she actually pick up on his cues? He leaned into her. The rain was slowly stopping and it was quiet outside the car.

Gina was leaning towards him about to kiss him, her face so close to his she could smell his minty breath. He wasn’t moving away. She was going to kiss him and he wasn’t turning away. His eyes closed, Ricky wanted her to kiss him. His stomach was filled with butterflies as he felt her cool breath on his lips. Just as she was about to kiss her lips on his, a loud clap of thunder rang out that shook the car and made the two of them jump apart.

“JESUS!” Ricky yelled, and then laughed, hand going to his mouth to cover his laughter as it got louder, he was slightly embarrassed at his reaction.

“Well that was some thunder clap, huh?” Ricky laughed and rubbed his hands on his steering wheel. He was trying to not think about what just happened. But he never forgot about that moment, just like he never forgot the other memories with Gina.

“I guess I should head inside. Are we still on for dinner tomorrow?” Gina asked.

“It’s a date.” Ricky responded with a slight smile.

The next day at dinner the two of them never mentioned what happened the previous night and it was never brought up after that. Ricky wanted to bring it up but he couldn’t form the words.

“Honey, you look amazing,” Lynne gasped as she entered the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

“Thanks, mom.” Ricky replied with a sad smile as he looked at his mom through the mirror. Sure their relationship was still rocky, but he still wanted her at the wedding because she was still his mother.

“Ricky what’s wrong?”

“Mom, am I doing the right thing? By getting married to Nini?” Ricky asked as he turned around to face Lynne and as soon as he asked the question, Lynne let out the breath she didn’t realize she was holding.

“What does your heart say?”

“My heart has been telling me the same thing since junior homecoming.”

Lynne smiled at her son. “Well you know...when you called your father and I and told us you had proposed to Nini, we were both surprised you picked her.”

Ricky looked at his mom with a confused expression, “You guys were surprised I proposed to Nini?”

Lynne walked behind Ricky as she looked in the mirror and fixed his suit, maintaining eye-contact through the mirror, “We just assumed you would’ve chosen Gina.”

Ricky’s stomach dropped and he looked to the ground. “She doesn’t want to marry me. Nini does.”

“Do you really know that for sure? Did you ever tell Gina how you felt?”

Ricky bit his lip and shook his head. Tears were brimming his brown eyes, but he blinked them away.

“Ricky, not all couples are meant to be together. If you don’t think Nini is the one, don’t marry her. If you love Gina, you shouldn’t have to settle for someone else. Ricky, follow your heart.”

Ricky nodded, looking upwards to try to keep his tears from falling before pulling his mom into a hug. “Thanks, mom.”

“You’re welcome sweetie, it’s time to go.” Lynne told her son.

Ricky stood up and dusted off his suit. Red, E.J. and Seb all got ready to follow him down the aisle. Ricky took a deep breath. This was it, it was now or never. Ricky walked into the ballroom. 

As he made his way down the aisle, his stomach was doing somersaults each step until he reached the altar. He stood at the edge right beside his best man, Red. He turned to the crowd and his eyes found Gina’s easily. His face lit up and he smiled at her, dimples and everything. Gina returned his smile, but it wasn’t the smile that he knew and loved, it was the fake smile she gave when she was upset, it didn’t reach her eyes. She looked like she had been drinking and she was upset. Was it because he was getting married? Was she upset about that? Ricky kept his eyes on her until Nini walked past her. But he couldn’t help shake the feeling that she was still looking at him.

Ricky continued to watch as Nini walked down the aisle with her moms on either side of her towards him. Nini had the biggest smile and Ricky felt extremely guilty. He forced himself to continue to look at her and not at Gina. Once Nini reached the end of the aisle, her mothers’ kissed her cheeks and she stood in front of Ricky. Ricky looked out at the crowd to try and find Gina, but she had already gotten up and started to leave. She was leaving. She was leaving his wedding. He shouldn’t be doing this. Nini wasn’t the girl he wanted to marry.

“Friends and Family of Nina Grace and Richard Michael, thank you for being here on this momentous day. We are gathered here today to celebrate the special bond between Nina and Richard, by joining their hands in marriage,” the preacher began.

Ricky looked into Nini’s eyes with tears threatening to spill and he sadly shook his head. He held his hand to stop the preacher from continuing and he stopped. Nini’s eyes widened as she realized what he was about to do.

“Ricky-” Nini began, but Ricky stopped her.

“No, Nini I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Ricky whispered through his tears. “You don’t want to marry me.”

“I do, Ricky. I love you with everything in my heart. You’re the one for me.”

Ricky shook his head sadly, “I can’t be the guy for you when I gave my heart away a long time ago to someone else.”

“Gina?”

Ricky bit his lip and slightly nodded, tears fully sliding down his cheeks. The crowd gasped and his side was full of smiles while her side was shocked.

“Nini, I’m so sorry, anyone would be so lucky to marry you.”

“Just not you.” Nini confirmed.

Ricky softly nodded his head before turning to the crowd and shrugged his shoulders before walking back down the aisle. Right before he left, he caught Red and Ashlyn’s eyes and they were both supporting giant grins. Ricky smiled back and ran to the parking lot. 

When he couldn’t find Gina, he borrowed Red’s car and drove off to the one place he knew she would be.

Gina was exactly where Ricky expected her to be. At the skatepark, sitting on the steps with her clutch beside her. When she heard footsteps beside her and looked over and saw a pair of black dress shoes.

“Gina?”

“Ricky? What are you doing here?”

“I need to tell you something.” Ricky told her as he sat down beside her.

“Ricky! Can’t it wait, it’s your wedding day.”

“No it’s not. My wedding includes you as the bride or else I don’t want to be a part of it.”

“Ricky-” Gina started.

“No, Gina. Listen. I love you. I always have,” Ricky told her. “Since we sat in Big Red’s car after homecoming and you kissed me on the cheek. I just never realized you felt the same way.”

“I do Ricky...”

Ricky’s eyes were filled with tears, “You do?”

Gina leaned into his side as he wrapped one arm around her shoulder as his other reached over and grabbed her hand and placed it in his lap. “I do.”

“Say it.” Ricky whispered as he let go of her hand and brought his hand to cup her cheek.

Gina’s lips moved closer to Ricky’s and right before they met, she whispered “I’ve been in love with you since high school, Ricky Bowen.”

Ricky smiled and his lips met hers and she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck. His arms go around her waist to keep her steady. When the two of them finally came up for air, he rested his forehead against hers and flashed her his signature smile, hands still on her waist.

“Since we’re already dressed for it, wanna get married?” Ricky joked and Gina tipped her head back and let out a laugh, her first genuine laugh in a while.

“After you Mr. Bowen.”

Ricky smiled and leaned down and captured Gina’s lips again and they both felt like they were home. This is where they were supposed to be and nothing could stop that.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed :))


End file.
